Having grown up as a skier, I've naturally enjoyed following the recent Olympic skiing competitions.

The other day two commentators debated whether when an Olympic skier is lined up to medal no matter what, if it is better to ski a little conservatively and secure a silver or bronze or to just throw all caution to the wind and ski for the gold, knowing one mistake could result in no medal at all.  The second commentator concluded that you have to put it all on the line.  After all, no athlete goes to the Olympics to get silver.  Every athlete goes to get the gold.

This debate really resonated with me.  Its so true that those competitors who won medals in the Olympics went all out, putting faith in their years of training and ability to come out on top. I seek to apply this attitude to my own life in everything that requires courage and risk. People either live conservatively, seeking security and a nice solid score or they take big risks to achieve their goals.

Whenever I doubt myself, I stay positive and tell myself to "Go for the gold!"  It's a simple reminder but one that is easily forgotten in the midst of a busy schedule.  The Olympics and my connection with skiing really inspired me to keep repeating this phrase.  Seeing such amazing feats in physical form reminded me that we have to keep moving beyond our perceived limits and keep stepping outside of our comfort zones in order to reach our full potential.